The junk in our trunk will be there until we do something about it, literally and figuratively. Junk in your trunk is a fun phrase. The Urban Dictionary says it means a large behind (a.k.a. derriere). Recently though, Stephen and I had a good laugh about literal junk in the trunk. We were [...]

Losing the Cape...the world needs you and me, not super heroes! Losing the Cape—isn’t that a great title?! That’s the name of Dan Stanford’s new book—Losing the Cape. It’s all about letting go of the misconception that, to make a difference in the world, you and I have to somehow be more than [...]

Carrots? Really, Shannon? Some of you may be wondering, how in the world am I possibly going to relate carrots to personal growth? Carrots work best when we do more than just look at them. Fair question. Here’s what I’m thinking… We know carrots can help improve our vision. Of course, simply looking [...]

Ever explore how full and gross a used vacuum bag can be? Ok, I know. Why would anybody really do that unless they accidentally vacuumed something they needed to retrieve? Or maybe someone’s doing this in a vacuum quality control lab somewhere for research purposes? Vacuum bags remind us--we need to lighten our load [...]

Expectations can sometimes lead to disappointment in our relationships. Good news though! We can do something about that! I don’t always have realistic expectations. Do you? I want to be in shape without exercise, and I want to buy more stuff for less money. I want to accomplish more stuff in less time, [...]

Being busy can lead to missed opportunities for encouraging others. I’m often busy...with family, work, ministry, volunteering, etc. You’re busy, so you know what I mean. We’re rushing from here to there, trying to keep up with our never-ending to-do lists. Being busy isn’t always bad, but it can sometimes cause problems. How [...]

Television theme songs have a somewhat surprising power about them. They're "just" theme songs. Yet, they often have memorable lyrics and melodies, and they remind us of characters and stories that bring us joy and inspire us. Who knew television theme songs could be so encouraging?! Remember these famous television theme songs… Here’s [...]

Peace—that’s one of the nine fruits of the Spirit… “…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). I’ve been a little low on peace just lately. And, I know why. I’ve let the worries of the world stress me [...]

Many couples want to make change in their relationship but instead make excuses for why they won't or can't change. Often, couples I counsel with use the excuse of disbelief. Both people doubt the other person can or will change, and therefore, they themselves will not or cannot change. Did you catch the excuse? “Since [...]

Breaking the speed limit sometimes results in a speeding ticket. But, what if you’re pushing other limits in life, especially time and energy limits? You know…taking on a little more than you really can handle, which tends to decrease rest and increase stress. “Excuse me, ma’am. Did you know you are only getting about 5 [...]